Land Of Mirrors by Maria Medem is a graphic novel whose concepts of identity and reflection will send readers into a philosophical dance with imitation, isolation, and community. It is also a kind of mysterious, emotional puzzle-quest.

Medem’s protagonist Antonia has a problem: she’s unable to clone a flower she has discovered to have exceptionally unique qualities. This problem forces her to leave the isolation she cherishes. Facing strangers and new experiences is not Antonia’s cup of tea. Through a visual highlighting of Antonia’s struggle to communicate, and her fear of being alone, readers are struck with the impression that Antonia is slightly down about something.                             

Land Of Mirrors follows Antonia on her journey, exploring concepts like fear, communication, storytelling, how we communicate information, the importance of community, and the meaning and value of identity. It is also very much about reflections. Antonia is a storyteller; she both tells and listens intently to stories along her journey, at one point stating, “Talking tires me out, listening not so much.’’ Another indication that our sensitive Antonia has trouble with communication is that her heart aches at the thought of having to engage or respond to the first stranger she meets, a character named Manuela, who hails from the titular Land of Mirrors. (Antonia meets a few strangers from this land along the way, but the actual physical space or location of the Land Of Mirrors is never mentioned.) Upon their initial meeting, Manuela calls out “Hey!’’ to Antonia. Antonia’s thoughts immediately turn to analyzing the outcome of not responding back, and the idea of how a person is seen is not really the same as how they want to be seen.

People from the Land of Mirrors possess the ability to perfectly imitate sound, and this skill brings up potentially robust conversations surrounding authenticity, how to stay true to oneself, and the benefits of continuing to take risks despite fears of the unknown, or negative past experiences.

There are also allusions to older, classic examples of human stories. For instance, the cheeky character Narciso is a play on the myth of Narcissus. Narciso is also the man to see if Antonia wants an explanation to her “What’s up with all the mirrors?’’question; he is the person responsible for the creation of the mirrors within the Land of Mirrors, and instructs others how to use them correctly. Narcisso explains that after learning how to perfectly imitate a sound, it is possible to lose oneself within the embodiment. So, for example, if you were learning to imitate a birdsong, you run the risk of becoming that bird – ultimately forgetting your old self, and who you were before. The only way to break out of this is to see your own reflection again. Seeing your own reflection cause you to remember who you are (or were).

The visuals in Land Of Mirrors are gorgeous. Medem’s style of illustration is perfectly paired with Antonia’s philosophical musings on identity. The images are intriguing, sumptuous, and lovingly chaotic. The illustrations embody an emotional expertise in the use of colour, and stunning representation of symbols and the abstract.

My own reflections on this book are focused on the desire to communicate versus the fear of communication. I find myself reflecting on the importance of community, and the lifeline that it can provide for an isolated individual. On the subject of mimicry and authenticity, it also makes me think of Osamu Tezuka’s Book Of Human Insects.  However, in that novel, the protagonist Toshiko is an empty, superficial, mimic of a social climber, whereas the mimicry contained in Land Of Mirrors is focused on the danger that arises from the process of fully engaging, the total embodiment phase on the way to understanding the subject. 

If you are looking for such side effects as deeply philosophical musings about the self and authenticity, Land of Mirrors is a profound, philosophical, and sensory experience. mRb